


Uncivilized Meeting of Humans

by Ergoemos



Category: Imperial Radch Series - Ann Leckie, Provenance - Ann Leckie
Genre: 2018, Conclave Meeting, One-Shot, Republic of Two Systems Independence Day Exchange, Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-17 20:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14197335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ergoemos/pseuds/Ergoemos
Summary: This is part of my exchange with the Imperial Radch/Provenenance for the Republic of Two Systems Independence Day! For https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassyblue . Please excuse my bad spelling. I've listened to the audio books dozens of times, but alas, I haven't bought word-copies yet. I also wrote a second submission cause I am insecure and wanted to at least say I met the prompts halfway twice! (the prompt was "Ingray and Tisarwat Meet")





	Uncivilized Meeting of Humans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cassyblue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassyblue/gifts).



> This is part of my exchange with the Imperial Radch/Provenenance for the Republic of Two Systems Independence Day! For https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassyblue . Please excuse my bad spelling. I've listened to the audio books dozens of times, but alas, I haven't bought word-copies yet. I also wrote a second submission cause I am insecure and wanted to at least say I met the prompts halfway twice! (the prompt was "Ingray and Tisarwat Meet")

It wasn’t until the Omkem confirmed they were sending a delegation to the human non-Radch pre-Conclave meeting that decided that Hwae needed to have a voice as well. 

Ingray hadn’t volunteered, exactly, but she also hadn’t been given much choice on attending the delegation. It was hardly like she could complain about the distance, it was being hosted by Tyr Siilas, as a neutral broker. She’d been promised funds to investigate the state of things in compassionate removal. 

So Ingray now found herself at a big party with Facilitators wandering the area, and a whole host of humans in a kaleidoscope of cultures and colors wandering the area, sitting, or laying down as they felt accustom, with tables of drinks, food, and even a table with a set of games, nearly none of which Ingray recognized. Ingray, personally, had never been as good at parties as her brother Dana- or rather, as her brother Netano, but he was busy with some restoration of the parklands, and he had no interested in going. 

‘Ingray, you’re the alien ambassador, you ought to go. It would look good for us.’ He’d managed to stop sneering so much, but she knew he was getting some enjoyment out of her displeasure. 

“Oh, there’s civilized tea! And it’s hot. How pleasant!” Someone said in very aristocratic Radchai nearby. There were translator boxes available, but, as much as everyone here might have hated it, Radchai was the language being used most often as it was the language used at the Conclave for humans. Ingray had decided to learn it as well, just in case she somehow got dragged into the Conclave. It had only taken another two years after the Geck Amabassador left Hwae to finally set a date.

Having been taking a short break between greeting the representative from some weird Tetrarchy, Ingray set her plate of half finished cake down on a table intended for being cleaned up regularly during the party and looked to see who it was. 

Ingray blinked, realizing it was the same two people she’d seen earlier this evening, the two people who looked like they were playing as actors in those dramas about Radchai military being evil and stomping across the universe, gloves and everything. 

One of them was tall and young looking, with lavender colored eyes and with close cut hair. The other was stony-faced in a way that might have been off putting, if their stature didn’t look as nervous as Ingray felt. 

The nervous-serious one said, in accented Radchai, “Tisarwat, you have no idea whose tea that is. You should not just take some.”

“No look, Ekalu, its marked here as ‘Radchai-style’. That’s awfully nice, whoever decided to set that up for uh, well, for people used to it.” Tisarwat pointed to a small placard at the small table.

Ekalu sighed and said, “I am going to find facilities. Hopefully they are approximately similar to what we are used to.”

“Who would have thought there were so many kinds - oh this tea is good!” 

“Well, if no one yells at you by the time I get back, get me some.”

Ekalu wandered off, as Ingray was getting up from the bench to mingle. She wondered who would have such a strong Radchai accent and be so used to Radchai tea, but that would still be at this party. Tyr Siilas had promised that this would be a get together to discuss the non-Radchai human perspectives into the conclave, so that everyone could have a chance to drown out their empress-dictator’s absolute control. Later there would be days of talking, but today was to break ice, as the Tyr saying went.

“I’m glad you like the tea,” Ingray said, lightly, “I’d brought it just in case there were any Radch adjacent civilizations coming. You certainly look the part.” She smiled, in her second most disarming smile. “I’m Ingray Aughskold. I tried to insist that Tyr tried to accommodate everyone’s food preferences because nothing makes someone feel less at home than having to eat foreign food.”

Ingray may have also been part of the planning committee for this gathering, as she’d been in Tyr off and on, trying to find someone who would help her actually do the reporting on Compassionate Removal. For obvious reasons, Hwae news services and reporters shied away from it. Tyr/Hwae relations were far better now, but the less said about the Omkem the better. 

The lilac eyed Tisarwat smiled brightly, “Why that is awfully of you. Thank you. We didn’t think we’d get any tea once we got away from ship.” Ingray, well versed in politics she had meant to leave behind, could hear the diplomacy oozing and wondered who exactly she was. “I’m Tisarwat. I didn’t know Tyr officials usually wore such bright colors.” She took a sip, bright eyes even brighter, “Oh, this is good too.”

“I’d gotten some guidance on proper tea from Translator Tibanvori, but I confess, I hadn’t expected many Radchai-adjacent civilizations to come to this gathering. It is supposed to be us against the Radch here…” Ingray smiled, mostly trying not to insult the other person if they had as much sympathy for the Radch as her language implied. 

Tisarwat sipped the tea again, from its traditional bowl, before responding, “Oh, I know. What must we look like but a Radch military survey team. I tried to insist that we needed to change our uniforms more, but that issue wasn’t high on anyone else’s priorities. Style may not seem important but it is incredibly important we present ourselves as separate. We are from the Republic of Systems. We almost didn’t make it to this gathering, but I thought it was definitely important we also got our say here.”

Ingray’s smile didn’t fade, she was too practiced for that, but she might have sounded a little strained as she said, “Oh, you are among the humans who are with the rog- the independent A.I.?” Ingray’s instincts told her that Tisarwat may not see the A.I. as rogue. A number of other representatives here took umbrage with the ‘rogue A.I.’ nomenclature too, since they would rather side against the Radch with the A.I. than with the Radch on anything. Who had let these people here? Was there a rogue A.I. somewhere in the system?

Tisarwat smiled, as if well aware of how awkward it is, “Yes, I know. We were just as surprised to get the invitation to come, I- Say, did you say you knew Translator Tibanvori?” 

Her face had a sense of recognition to it, in that way that someone who was trying to act like they didn’t know something. Danach had the same look, though Tisarwat’s was a little more transparent. It wasn’t as if as if she personally had known the Translator. How could any random Radchai, or rather, Republic of Systems representative know the Radch-Geck Ambassador? Let alone one from a rogue nation halfway across the galaxy. 

“Oh not really. I kind of got involved with her when the Geck Ambassador herself came through Hwae system on the way to the conclave. Do you know the Translator?” Ingray gestured noncommittally, though she did decide she would try some of the Radch tea, of only to give her nervous hands something to do. 

She did put the tea in a proper cup, not a bowl. Ingray wondered if her not wearing gloves was odd for the Radchai rebels. Ingray pulled up the invitation list, which she’d forgotten to open from weeks ago. 

“Oh, um, not quite.” She looked a little embarrassed. Had she not meant to show that recognition on her face? That the Radchai rebel hadn’t quite meant to be so plain was a surprise, but also a little more pleasant to understand. “I’ve known her by way of research, is all. Is she still, ah, disposed against her post?” 

Ingray smiled, thinking of Tibanvori’s opinions of her job. “You could say that. If you offer her some tea and a job away from the Geck homeworld, she might be willing to overthrow the Lord of the Radch herself.” The tea was too hot, and a little bitter. It would taste better with a little milk and maybe some vanilla, but she didn’t want to insult her hosts. 

Tisarwat choked on her own tea, startling Ingray. She began to apologize but the Radchai rebel motioned, “No no, it’s fine. I don’t-” she smiled brightly, one of the first non-practiced motions Ingray had noticed - this Tisarwat was a frightfully good politician, few slips aside -”I was just imagining our chances of actually getting anyone Radch to join the Republic against the Usurper, but only because we can trade them tea, which was one of our biggest exports.” 

“The Tea Rebellion does have a nice ring to it.” Ingray decided to like Tisarwat, and set the cup of tea back down, “Say, would you mind signing my vestige? I have one for you too.”

Tisarwat frowned at the unfamiliar Hwaean word, “Vestige?”

Ingray went over to where she’d been sitting with the cakes and pulled out a pair of invitation cards, printed on a simple matte blue paper, traditional for meetings between foreign parties, and some ink brushes. Her’s already had a few signatures, and the second was blank, ready for Ingray to sign. “It's a Hwaean tradition. We swap invitations to remind each other of the day we met here, as a sort of physical memory.”

“Oh,” Tisawat exclaimed, delighted, “That’s really cute. I like that idea. I know when Ekalu gets back, she’ll want one too. That’s right clever, Ingray. ”

“I have plenty, Tisarwat, so I’d be happy to share with her too.” Ingray was pretty sure Tisarwat was just entertaining her, but that was fine. This was one vestige that Ingray was pretty certain that she wouldn’t be selling Danach.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this one is so short. I didn't have a whole lot to set up once I established how Ingray and Tisarwat would meet. I get the feeling that Ingray would feel inadequate (as usual) but that she'd catch on to Tisarwat's smooth machinations, having played in politics for a long time (technically longer than Tisarwat).


End file.
